


Repulsion

by somedaysomewhere



Category: X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Blood and Gore, Eye Trauma, M/M, Minor Violence, Past Character Death, Sleeping Beauty AU, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:14:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24470386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somedaysomewhere/pseuds/somedaysomewhere
Summary: Seungyoun finally wakes up after years and years of sleep.
Relationships: Cho Seungyeon | Seungyoun/Han Seungwoo
Comments: 6
Kudos: 44
Collections: Challenge #1 — Fairy Tale Thoughts





	Repulsion

It’s not so much a sharp pain—rather, it’s more of a dull throb traveling from the bridge of his nose to the back of his head. Seungyoun tries to blink it off, but the light magnifies it further, forcing him to shut his eyes again. The act of lifting his thumb alone takes a whole minute. His brain feels disconnected from his body, and it’s enough to make him panic.

“Easy,” a voice says. “You’re disoriented.”

The words prompt his consciousness. Like clouds clearing, his stupor dissipates. He turns sideways on the futon, and it rewards him with a sight he’s been longing to see. _Seungwoo._ He’s dreamed of him so many times, but nothing compares to the real thing.

The ring on his left finger has never felt this heavy.

Seungwoo places a hand on his temple, as if aware of his current headache. “Do you remember me?”

“Of course. You’re my husband,” Seungyoun answers, a smirk curling his lips. But then he recalls something, and his expression becomes grim. “Was the woman successful in hexing me?”

“Mm-hmm. You slept for years.”

“I thought I killed her.” His last lucid moments were of screams and bloodshed. On that particular day, they had to terminate a brothel owner, unaware that his mistress was watching. As she mourned her lover’s remains, she vowed to exact revenge.

_Murder is too kind as exchange. Instead, one of you will sleep continuously until the other becomes rotten flesh._

They thought it was nonsense at first, but apparently, the threat was valid. Seungyoun went to sleep that night and hadn’t woken up since.

Until today, that is.

“If she was able to put a curse on you, I’m sure she had a way to deflect your katana.”

“I guess that’s true. But you really waited for me?”

“Stop acting so surprised. You know you’d do the same,” Seungwoo says, pinching his cheek. The sun hits his face just right, revealing a bittersweet smile.

Seungyoun sighs. Too much time was wasted. But it’s something he can’t take back, and it’s moot to worry about what can’t be changed.

“I’m here now,” he assures, weaving their fingers together. He searches for the warmth that used to comfort him, but all he finds is a freezing grip. He doesn’t think anything of it, but looking back, it should’ve already given him a hint.

  
  
  
  


Some things aren’t adding up: one, Seungwoo is now the head of the syndicate they work for; two, Seungwoo isn’t divulging the length of his slumber; and three, their facial features haven’t aged a bit, as if they’re frozen in time. Seungyoun doesn’t recognize anyone around him either, and the friends he made in the past are replaced by new faces. Because they’re adept at keeping distance, it’s near impossible to have a chance to see, much less converse with them. Unsurprisingly, his doubts are intensified. Nothing matches his suspicions, which only means he must’ve been out longer than he previously assumed.

Then again, such hindrances never stopped him. Seungyoun is an assassin after all—he’s used to extracting information, whatever the means. Seungwoo is obviously hiding something from him, and he won’t stop until he discovers what it is.

He pushes the blade further into a man’s neck. With a bit more force, he can easily separate his head. “You’re Lee Hangyul’s son, right? Where’s your father?”

“H-he passed away forty years ago,” the son stutters, choking and short of breath.

 _What the hell?_ “How did that happen?”

“Don’t s-shit me! You’re the reason why he’s dead!”

“In case you missed it punk, I was unconscious until recently.”

“And until now, Seungwoo is p-pretending to be benevolent.”

“Explain what you mean by that,” Seungyoun threatens, kicking him in the shin. 

Blood starts to drip from the man’s wound. Still, he looks thrilled, like he’s been waiting for this moment. “Your husband sought a witch to reverse the spell. A ‘rotten flesh’ meant a d-decomposed body, which equated to his demise. He didn’t want that, of course.”

“I swear, if you’re lying—”

“However, the curse was too rooted. You unintentionally trifled with a third-generation sorceress, and the most that could be done was reduce it into countable years. Do y-you know what the conditions were?,” the son scoffs mockingly. “Twenty human lives for a century. Thirty more for your immortality.”

Excluding him and Seungwoo, the syndicate had exactly fifty members.

_Holy fuck._

“Ah, you’re smart. You c-connected the dots immediately. Along with Dad, the entire organization was brutally massacred, just so you could have a happy ending. It was a b-betrayal no one had foreseen. The fucker even had the gall to attend the funeral—all shiny and virile among a crowd of wrinkly men inside their caskets.”

Bile forms in Seungyoun’s stomach. The air becomes heavy, and his chest is saturated with disbelief.

The man stares at him then, his gaze chilling. “Tell me, Seungyoun-ssi. How does it feel to be married to a monster?”

  
  
  
  


“Is it true?”

Honestly, Seungyoun planned on being gentle. But today has consumed him, and all he wants are answers and some sleep. So here they are, coming clean in the middle of a fancy dinner, donning the suits they wore back in their wedding. Call it full circle, the beginning or the end.

Who knows. He can’t even blink.

“There’s no use in denying, no?,” Seungwoo asks, slicing a porterhouse steak. He’s incredibly calm for someone who just confessed to fifty deaths.

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I love you. Isn’t love the answer to everything?”

“You call that love?,” Seungyoun counters. It’s the wrong question however, because he then witnesses a scene he won’t forget. 

Seungwoo gouges his eyes out of their sockets with a spoon. He places them on his plate, saying: _isn’t love wanting to be together eternally?_

One can adore a person to the point of madness. Maybe that’s what this is, because Seungyoun thinks it’s the most romantic thing he’s seen.

**Author's Note:**

> this story was a result of staring at magritte’s [the banquet](https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/impressionist-modern-art-evening-sale-n09740/lot.36.html) for too long. i’d love to know what you think!


End file.
